Publication Date
8th/14th century
Publication Place
-
Islamic Section, National Museum in Aleppo
Subject
Molded pottery.
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Physical Dimensions
الارتفاع: 23.8سم؛ القطر: 16.5سم؛ القطر عند الفتحة: 3.7سم
Library
Museum With No Frontiers
Library Asset ID
QH 2004 - X 227
Record ID
object;ISL;sy;Mus01_A;50;ar
Library Location
Islamic Section, National Museum in Aleppo
Date
8th/14th century
Notes
Hajj flasks, which were used to carry cold water during long journeys and were made of unglazed molded pottery, were considered a specialty of Syrian potters in the Mamluk period. These strong flasks were widely used during the 7th and 8th / 13th and 14th centuries, and were produced in large numbers in a large number of Syrian kilns. These bottles were all made in the same way: the bulbous body with its wide ends was produced using two identical molds, then the two lugs were added on the shoulders, and the relatively narrow opening was made. The decorations molded on the body are diverse, and include hunting scenes, mythical creatures, floral patterns, knot-shaped designs, and princely inscriptions, which were intended to distinguish their owners from the Mamluk officers who carried them. This flask in its good artistic condition, which is located in the National Museum in Aleppo, was recently discovered during the joint Syrian-German excavations in the Aleppo Citadel, and its decoration is unusual, as it shows a large crescent on top of a solid triangular base surrounded by With a pair of swords within a circle. The background is covered with small stamped circles, and the upper part of the ornament is separated and decorated with leaflets. Dotted bands extend along the outer edges of the body. The unusual central composition clearly represents a Mamluk blazon, although it is not known among the blazon of Mamluk princes, and may be the result of a misunderstanding or the potter's wild imagination mixing the crescent moon with the colloquial cup symbol. It is possible that these decorations were intended to resemble ranuks without being so. This piece is not very well produced although the mold itself is used on both sides as is usual, as the print on the reverse is not quite centred.
Sample Text
Julia Gonnella “Pilgrim’s Flask” in Discover Islamic Art. Museum Without Borders, 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;sy;Mus01_A;50;ar
